1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electronic gaming system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic gaming system, apparatus and method for enabling primary and secondary gaming by way of a bifurcated or multi-faceted electronic display, which display physically moves to enable said gaming.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,355,660 ('660 Patent), which issued to Ikeda, discloses a Liquid Crystal Display Device and Gaming Machine. The '660 Patent essentially describes a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal panel unit having a liquid crystal panel and a support member supporting the liquid crystal panel unit from a back side of the liquid crystal panel unit. The '660 Patent is reflective of a certain trend in gaming relating to so-called “transmissive reels” in which mechanical reels are positioned rearward of light-transmissive glass. Visual imagery is then projected or layered upon reel imagery to create a unique gaming experience.
The gaming system exemplified by the foregoing, however, suffers insofar as certain of the gaming imagery is poor in quality due to poor light transmission through liquid crystal display components, which results in diffused gaming imagery. In an attempt to improve upon the design by removing the light diffusive characteristics of the noted liquid crystal display components, and bearing in mind that aircraft cockpits have been outfitted with modified liquid crystal displays, the present invention was conceived. In this regard, it was conceived that by segmenting liquid crystal display (LCD) paneling, and displacing the separated LCD panels so as to reveal a clearer field of view of secondary gaming behind the display, gaming imagery could be better viewed.
It is further noted, however, that multi-segmented electronic displays are somewhat well-developed in analogous arts to the gaming industry. Some of the more pertinent art relating to electronic displays having multiple sections and the like are briefly described hereinafter. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,662 ('662 Patent), which issued to Failla, discloses a Collapsibly Segmented Display Screen for Computers or the Like. The '662 Patent describes a collapsible, storable information display screen for use with an electronic information processing device is disclosed which alleviates many of the problems associated with the smaller display screens. The display screen, when in use, is assembled in an electrically interconnected, mechanically stable, predetermined array, and when not in use, may be disassembled from said array and collapsed for compact storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,643 ('643 Patent), which issued to Batio, discloses a Portable Computer having Split Keyboard and Pivotal Display Screen Halves. The '643 Patent describes a retrofitting, folding, portable keyboard for a notebook computer consists of two, pivotally-hinged halves. The two halves are hinged so that may be assume a perfectly flat, horizontal position or, alternatively, a laterally raised and sloping configuration that provides an enhanced, ergonometric configuration to the user. Each half has its own set of keys and space bar.
The keyboard of the invention has its own pointing device that takes over the pointing function of the pointing device of the dedicated keyboard provided with the notebook computer. The portable, folding keyboard of the invention also has a joystick-adapter by which a conventional joystick may be operatively coupled to the notebook computer by which games may be played. Four, bottom, pivotal feet support the keyboard on and/or above the existing keyboard provided with the notebook computer. A carrying case is provided in which the folded-up keyboard may be stored and transported. Also provided is a dual split screen, where each half of the split screen is pivotally mounted for universal rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,884 ('884 Patent), which issued to Hedrick et al., discloses a Gaming Machine having Secondary Display for Providing Video Content. The '884 Patent describes a machine having main and secondary displays. The secondary display is disposed apart from the primary display and is used for presenting primary, secondary, or even tertiary information. The main display is controlled electronically by a gaming machine controller, which main display presents the results of a play on the gaming machine. In the case of a slot machine, the main display may be the glass display through which the spinning reels of a game play are viewed. In a video poker gaming machine, the main display is usually a cathode ray tube (“CRT”) which displays a video game image to the player and other information directly associated with the game play.
The secondary display may be provided at various locations on the gaming machine such as in a top glass portion of the gaming machine or a belly glass portion of the gaming machine, which belly glass portion is located below a main display portion of the gaming machine. The secondary display itself may be a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a field emission display, a plasma display, a digital micromirror device (DMD), etc. The secondary display is mounted on a secondary display support. The secondary display support is attached to the gaming machine chassis by a hinge in order to move the secondary display for access to maintenance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433 ('433 Patent), which issued to Loose et al., discloses a Reel Spinning Slot Machine with Superimposed Video Image. The '433 Patent describes a spinning reel slot machine which comprises a plurality of mechanical rotatable reels and a video display. In response to a wager, the reels are rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area.
The video display provides a video image superimposed upon the reels. The video image may be interactive with the reels and include such graphics as payout values, a pay table, pay lines, bonus game features, special effects, thematic scenery, and instructional information.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,963 (“963 Patent), which issued to Kojima, discloses a Gaming Machine with Reels and Display Device Displaying Characters Thereon, Reels Being Seen Through the Display Device. The '963 Patent describes a gaming machine in which the lower liquid crystal display is arranged in front of the reels which are mechanically driven and each reel is seen through each of the display windows of the lower liquid crystal display. And the character is dynamically displayed on the lower liquid crystal display and the reel operation of the reel is changed. At that time, the reel operation is stopped at the timing that the character crosses each of the display windows of the lower liquid crystal display.
United States Patent Application No. 2004/0053699, which was authored by Rasmussen et al., describes a method of converting a gaming machine between a machine for conducting a physical reel slot game and a machine for conducting a video game is disclosed. The gaming machine initially contains one of a physical slot reel assembly and a video display mounted to a mounting mechanism inside the machine. In the conversion method, the one of the slot reel assembly and the video display is removed from the gaming machine, and the other of the slot reel assembly and the video display is mounted to the mounting mechanism in its place. The mounting mechanism may, for example, be a display shelf. Other components may be modified according which of the slot reel assembly and the video display is installed in the gaming machine.
United States Patent Application No. 2004/0248647, which was authored by Rothschild et al., describes a gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a game display and an alterable display mechanism. The game display is for displaying the wagering game. The alterable display portrays a mechanical display member movable between a first position and a second position. The display member displays first and second information to a player when in the respective first and second positions. The information may be signage information that is free of random events and outcomes associated with the wagering game. The display member may, for example, be a flexible member scrolled about rollers, a rotatable panel, a rotatable set of panels akin to shutters, a “plate” rotatable in a fashion similar to a phonographic turntable with dividers to separate the sides, or a video representation of any of the foregoing.
United States Patent Application No. 2008/0024388, which was authored by Bruce, describes a display apparatus such as liquid crystal displays (LCD) or plasma displays or any other type of thin or flat display monitor apparatus having multiple display screens. The multiple display screens either consisting of double sided display screens, being slidingly engaged in a monitor housing having rails or being attached by a multiple axis pivot structure. The screens can be either controlled by a single control structure or can be independently controlled by multiple control structure where multiple users can work on each respective screen independently from one another.
United States Patent Application No. 2008/0182652, which was authored by Rasmussen et al., describes a computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising a processor and gaming code which is operable when executed on the processor to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered via at least one mechanical reel and a liquid crystal display (LCD). The liquid crystal display has at leas tone transparent portion through which the mechanical reel or reels can be observed. A blocking mechanism is operable to selectively limit visibility through the LCD transparent portion, such as for display of graphics on the transparent portion of the LCD display.
From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be noted that the prior art perceives a need for a gaming system or apparatus having both a primary gaming arrangement and a secondary gaming arrangement wherein the secondary gaming arrangement is viewable when the primary gaming arrangement opens to reveal same. In this last regard, the prior art perceives a need for a primary gaming arrangement having a bifurcated or multi-segmented electronic display when provides substantially seamless gaming imagery when in the closed position and enables secondary gaming imagery when in the open position.